\u201cMy turban really saved me\u201d, says a 50-year-old Sikh man who was ambushed, beaten up multiple times by two white men who yelled racial slurs at him in the US.<\/p>\n
Surjit Singh Malhi said he was putting out political signs for US representative Jeff Denham, a Republican running for re-election, near his home in California when he was attacked by the two men who yelled racial slurs that \u201cYou\u2019re not welcome here!, Go back to your country!\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy turban really saved me,\u201d Malhi was quoted as saying by the New York Times on Monday. He said his turban acted \u201clike a helmet, but stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe two men came up behind me and accosted me. They threw sand in my eyes so I could not see, he said, adding that they struck my head and back with what appeared to be a stick and a belt.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way they were hitting me, (I thought) maybe I would die. You don\u2019t belong here,\u201d he said they told him.<\/p>\n
Malhi, came to the US from India in 1992 and is now a permanent resident. He wears a turban and that may be the reason he was targeted, but it may have also saved his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only reason (he was attacked), as far as we can tell, is because he was wearing a turban and he was Middle Eastern,\u201d Deputy Royjindar Singh said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the only reason they attacked him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Malhi said everything happened quickly. He said he did not get a good look at the attackers, but told investigators they were two men wearing black sweatshirts, KCRA channel TV reported.<\/p>\n
He said they spray painted the side of his truck with a white nationalist symbol and wrote, \u201cGo back to your country.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a lot of friends,\u201d Malhi said. \u201cI have no problem. I do not feel any racism against me ever. I have friends who are standing for me. They love me and I love them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheriff Adam Christianson of Stanislaus County said his office was aggressively investigating the case and looking for suspects.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a despicable hate crime,\u201d the sheriff said. \u201cThere is no room for this in Stanislaus County or anywhere else in the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Denham, the Republican lawmaker of California, released a statement yesterday condemning the attack, which occurred in his district.<\/p>\n
Central California is home to a large Sikh community, and Malhi leads a group of Sikh volunteers for the congressman\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cInciting violence because of race, religion or political beliefs should never be tolerated,\u201d Denham said. \u201cThis is the third incident in less than two weeks where a member of my team has been a target and it must come to an end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turbans represent a commitment to gender and racial equality, as well as religious tolerance, said Gurwin Singh Ahuja, co-founder of the National Sikh Campaign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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